Fitzhugh Lee, General Lee

[219] to intercept him. “His orders were executed,” says General Lee, “with skill, address, and courage.” He had destroyed a large amount of public property, reported McClellan's exact position to General Lee, and recrossed the Potomac without loss. “Not a man should be permitted to return to Virginia,” telegraphed Halleck to McClellan in informing him that Stuart was at Chambersburg, Pa., and was answered that, in spite of all precautions, Stuart “went entirely around this army” ; and calls attention to his deficiency in cavalry, and complained that “the horses of the army were fatigued and had sore tongues,” which called forth an inquiry from Mr. Lincoln: “Will you pardon me for asking what the horses of your army have done since Antietam that fatigues anything?” And that “Stuart's cavalry had outmarched ours, having certainly done more marked service in the Peninsula and everywhere since.” And yet McClellan had received seventeen thousand nine hundred and eighteen fresh horses since the Sharpsburg battle.

At last on October 26th, three weeks after he had received orders, he began crossing his army over the Potomac into Loudoun County, Va., at Berlin, below Harper's Ferry. This occupied nine days. A slow concentration of his army in the direction of Warrenton followed. Lee met this movement, and later, on November 3d, marched Longstreet's corps to Culpeper Court House to McClellan's front, and brought the corps of Jackson to the east side of the mountain. He had crossed swords, however, for the last time with his courteous adversary. The axe had fallen, and with it McClellan's official head into the basket already containing Pope's. General Order No. 182 from the War Department, dated November 5, 1862, announced, by direction of President Lincoln, that General McClellan be relieved from the command of the Army of the Potomac, and that Major-General Burnside take command of that army.

“Late at night,” says McClellan, “I was sitting alone in my tent writing to my wife. All seemed to be asleep. Suddenly some one knocked upon the tent pole, and upon my invitation to enter, there appeared ”